Machine for fixing threads in envelops



(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 1.

. M. GRUBE. v MACHINE FOR FIXING THREADS IN BNVELOPS.

No. 566,075. Patented Aug. #8, 1896;

Witnesses lnyelzliarf-v m: noams PE EflS co, P'MDYO-LITHOY, WA$NYNGTON, n. c.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

, I M. GRUBE.

MACHINE FOR FIXING THREADS IN ENVELOPS.

No. 566,075. Patented Aug. 18, 1896.

' (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

M.GRUBE. MACHINE FOR FIXING THREADS IN ENVBLOPS. No; 566,075. Patented Aug. 18, 1896..

Witness es IlZ1/6IZZ0II1 m: worms a ms co. FhOTO-LIYHQ, WASHINGTON, u 0.

( No Model.)

I 4jSheets-Sheet 4.- M. GRUBE. MAGHINE FOR FIXING THREADS IN ENVELOPS.

' Patented Aug. 18, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAX GRUBE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

MACHINE FOR FIXING THREADS lN ENVELOPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,075, dated August 18, 1896.

Application filed September 3, 1895. Serial No. 561,297. iNo model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MAX GRUBE, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Fixing Threads in Envelops; and the invention relates particularly to improvements upon Patent No. 515,524, granted to me February 27, 1894, wherein is a threaddrawing mechanism operating to draw the threads from a spool in measured lengths, a pair of oscillating fingers to seize the thread and lay it in position in the folds of the envelop-blank before the envelops are folded 'down,and a cutting device to sever the threads from the spool.

My present invention consists in the employment of two oppositely-disposed doublearmed rotary conveyers having jaws to grasp the threads and deposit each thread alternately in the crease of a partially-folded envelop; in animproved construction of said conveyer-arm, jaws and special features of construction connected therewith for seizing, cutting, releasing, and withdrawing the scrap threads from said jaws and conveying them from the machine; for cutting the thread both at the spool and at the envelop-folding table;

in novel means for operating the jaws of the thread-carrier, and also in means for operating the flap-folder in connection with the conveyer-arms, as will hereinafter appear in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show the construction of my improvements and also represent them as applied to certain parts of an envelop-machine of the kind patented to J D. Flammer on the 2d day of September, 1890, No. 4:35,8l6; but the improvements may be applied to other styles of machines by means of suitable connections made by any one skilled in the art.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of my improved attachment for envelop machines in position, showing the thread-carrier half drawn across the machine; Fig. 2, a front elevation thereof; Fig. 3, a vertical sectional elevation thereof in line y y of Fig. 1, looking toward the threadholding end of the machine, showing by full lines the conveyers in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and by dotted lines the conveyers shown in an advanced position having the jaws open ready to grip the thread presented by the carrier, the opposite ends of the conveyer-arms being in position to deliver the thread to the partially-folded envelop and showing the thread-cutters open ready to cut the thread and also showing a rearfiap-folder-operat-ing mechanism connected therewith; Fig. 4: a sectional elevation, as in Fig. 3,bu t of the thread-carrier side only thereof, and showing the thread-cutting shears in the closed position; Fig. 5, a detail in line .2 a of Fig. 1, showing the thread-gumming arm, reservoir, and operating-cam raised in full lines and lowered in dotted lines; Fig. 6, a similar detail in line to w of Fig. 1, showing the spool-holder, thread-guide tube, and tension gumming-arm and inner face of threadcarrier partly in section looking toward the envelop-folding machine; Fig. 7, a detail elevation, partly in section, looking toward the envelop-machine and showing in detail the reciprocating gripping-jaws of the threadcarrier and the stationary pivoted arms for operating said jaws to open them and by dotted lines showing the arms raised toallow the jaws to pass; Fig. 8, a perspective of a fragment of the table of an envelop-machine, showing the conveyer-arms in position to deliver the thread to a partially-folded envelop and also showing the several parts of an envelop-foldingmachineimmediatelyconnected with my threading attachment, as will hereinafter appear; and Fig. 9 shows detail views in perspective of the fixed and the movable gripping-jaws at the ends of the thread-coir veyer arms.

The folding-box 1 of my attachment may be secured to and supported by standards above the table 1 of the envelop-machine, as shown in the drawings, the operating-shaft 2 being supported in bearings 3 upon standards also secured to said table in rear of the trap door 4:, through which the envelop after having been completely folded with the openingthread applied thereto is dropped into a drierwheel or other suitable device, such as hereinbefore described, for delivering the envelops away from the machine.

The operating-shaft 2 is geared to the driving-shaft of the envelop-machine in such manner that said shaft will rotate positively and regularly once while each two envelops are being made, the shaft 2 being provided with two double oppositely disposed conveyerarms 5 6 and 7 8, adapted to the length of the envelop, each having upon its ends grippingjaws 9 10, the inner faces of which will be of such distance apart that a measured length of thread will be carried by the said arms, the length of the thread being such as to permit the ends of the thread to project from the ends of the envelop a sufficient distance to admit of their being caught hold of by the fingers to tear open the envelop. The gripping-jaws 9 are formed upon the ends of the conveyer-arms, and the jaws 10 are pivoted thereto by a pin 11, which projects from the inner face thereof to operate the threadshears, as will hereinafter appear.

The operating-shaft 2 carries a bevel-gear 12, which engages with a bevel-pinion 13 on a counter-shaft 14, supported in bearings 15, secured to the table 1 and of such diameter that the shaft 14 will make two rotations to each rotation of the operating-shaft 2, and a crank 16, secured to the shaft 14, carries a crank-pin 18, and connecting-rod 19 is connected to and operates a thread-carrier 20, and is caused to reciprocate thereby upon a guide-rod 21, supported in a horizontal position upon the table 1 in such manner that the thread will be carried across the plane of the envelop in the rear thereof and delivered to the jaws of the conveyor-arms at each half rotation of the operating-shaft 2 and conveyed by said arms to the partially-folded envelop, as will hereinafter appear.

The thread-carrier 20 is composed of a sliding sleeve 22 to fit the guide-rod 21, and connected to the end of the rod 19 by a pin 23, fitted upon said sleeve, and a head projecting from the side of said sleeve consisting of vertically-disposed side plates 24, connected by a horizontal web 25, above which and between said plates 24 is pivoted a gripping-jaw 26, pivoted thereon by a pin 27, the middle portion of the jaw 26 having secured thereto a plate-spring 28, which rests at its free end upon the web 25, and, extending back behind the pivot-pin 27, tends to keep the forward end of the jaw 26 pressed down to its work. A similar gripping-jaw 29 is secured below the web and between the plates 24, and is pivoted thereon by a pin 29 and carries a plate-spring 30 in a manner similar to that of the jaw 26 to bear upon the under side of the web 25, and presses the jaw 29 up to its work. Each of said jaws 26 and 29, respectively, have clamping-plates 31 and 32 projecting laterally from their inner faces in the line of movement of the thread when the latter is carried in position to be seized by the conveyer-arms 5 6 and 7 8. The plates 31 and 32 have rubbcr-covered opposing surfaces 31 32 to hold the thread more firmly and are opened to seize the thread by the followingdescribed means:

The forward ends of the jaws 26 and 29 have, respectively, laterally-projecting and oppositely-inclined plates 33 and 34, flaring toward their forward ends, which engage and are pressed apart by similar and oppositelyinclined plates 35 and 36 upon spring-actuated jaws 37 and 38, similarly disposed and pivoted at 37 X and 38 respectively, to plates 39 and 40, connected by a horizontal web 41 and secured to the spool end of the frame near and at one side of the thread-delivering aperture. The jaws 37 and 38 have springplates 42 and 43 secured to them to press at their free ends upon the intermediate web 41, as in the case of the jaws 26 and 29 and their spring connections.

The jaws 37 and 38 are arranged in the same plane as that of the plane of movement of the jaws 26 and 29, and the free ends of one set of jaws are presented toward the free end of the opposing set of jaws in such manner that the inclined plates 35 and 36 will push between the inclined plates 33 and 34 to open said jaws when they have reached the end of their movement to cause the clamping-plates 31 and 32 to open and when the plates 33 and 34 have passed the inclined plates 35 and 36 to close upon the end of the thread projecting from the thread-holder and grip the thread firmly between the rubberfaced clamping plates, thus holding the thread securely to draw it across the plane of the envelop upon the return movement of the thread -carrier and its grippingjaws. Upon the return movement of the grippingjaws the inclined plates 33 and 34 of said jaws press upon the inner faces of inclined plates 35 and 36 of the jaws 37 and 38 and lift the free ends thereof, thus allowing the gripping-jaws of the thread-carrier to pass unobstructedly upon their return movement to carry the thread to the conveyors.

The thread is held upon a spool 44, sup ported upon a vertical pin 45 and plate 46, secured to the table 1 in such position that the thread 44 may be passed through an aperture at the foot of a tubular holder 47, also secured to the plate 46 and supporting a cylindrical weight 48, fitting the interior of said holder snugly and resting with sufficient force upon the thread to secure the required tension thereon. The end of the thread passing through the foot of the tubular holder enters freely the funnel-shaped end of athreadguide 49, the tubular projection of said guide being directed to the middle portion and line of movement of the clampingjaws 31 and 32, and causes the end of the thread to project straight out to be squarely and securely caught between the clampingjaws of the thread-carrier. When the thread is drawn out from the thread-holder across and immediately over the open jaws of the thread-conveyer, a gummer-arm carried by a spoon 50, pivoted at 51 to a plate 52 projecting from the table 1 and dipping into a gum-receptacle 52, is lifted from said receptacle by a cam 53, fitted upon operating-shaft 2,

and is pressed beneath and against the thread at a suitable period of time after the thread holder plate 46.

carrier has passed said gu mmer-spoon to gum the thread between the jaws of the threadconveyer. The ends of the thread are thus left ungummed to avoid soiling or gumming up the shears, grippingjaws, and other surfaces over which the ends of the thread are passed before it is deposited and secured beneath the fold of the envelop. On the return movement of the thread-carrier the cam permits the spoon to drop into the gum-receptacle for a fresh supply ready to be again lifted upwhen the thread-carrier and a new measure of thread has been sufficiently drawn across the machine.

The spoon 50 is crooked or bent in a suitable manner shown to hold the gum in sufficient quantity to cover the thread and also to draw the thread toward the conveyer-jaws and prevent the thread from being drawn out of the conveyer-jaws before the ends of the thread have been securely seized between them.

The gum-receptacle 52 is connected by a conduit 52 with a reservoir 53, (not shown in Fig. 1,) holding a sufficient quantity of gum to maintain a constant level for a suitably-continued time within the said receptacle.

Two standards 54, secured to the table 1 directly outside the path of the conveyerarms, carry tracks or ways 55 to intercept pins 56 at the projecting'end of the pivoted jaws 10 of the conveyer-arms and press open said jaws as the arm and its projecting pin move from the position shown by full lines to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The pivoted jaws 10 open a suitable time to permit the thread to be placed sufficiently between said jaws and the fixed jaws 9 to securely hold it and permit it to be cut off at such distance from the thread-holder, as shown in Fig. 1, that a stub end of a sufficient length may be left projecting from said thread-holder to permit the said end of the thread to be caught between the clampingjaws of the thread-carrier upon its next movementforward to draw the next measured length of thread from the spool.

A pair of spool-shears 57 or cutting-blades are pivoted to a vertically-projecting plate 60, which supports the thread-holder and tension device, and forms a right-angled extension of the plate which supports the spool- The spool end of the guidebar and the supporting-block of the threadgripper-opening jaws and the said supporting-plates are firmly secured to the plate 1 The shears are thus held at a suitable distance from the thread-holder to leave a stub end of the thread projecting therefrom, as

above described.

A swinging arm 58, pivoted at its lower end to the plate 60, carries a double pair of projecting pins 61, each pair to hold between them the lever ends of the shears, and when swung. backward and forward with the swinging arm 58 will cause the shears held upon their fixed pivot to be opened and closed to cut the thread at the proper moment. This movement is properly timed and effected by a double cam 61, secured to the operatingshaft 2, which presses the swinging arm 58 rearwardly to open the shears. When the camplates have revolved sufficiently to release a pin on the 'end of the forwardly-projecting elbow 58 of the arm 58, the said arm will be pushed forward by a spring 62, secured to the plate 60,which presses against a pin or projection upon the swinging end of arm 58, and thus closes the shears to cutoff the thread in time to permit the conveyers to carry it to the partially-folded envelop.

The operating-shaft 2 is supported in bearings upon standards 1 of the envelop-table l at a suitable distance from the rear edge of the trap-door 4, which latter is hinged to the bottom of the folding box 1 above the envelop-table and at the edges of a rectangular discharge-aperture 63, Fig. 8, and also more clearly in Fig. 3.

The top edge of aperture 63, midway of its length, is adapted to receive the hinge-joint of a rear-foldin g leaf 64:, the end-foldin g leaves 65 and the short hinged folding-strip 66 at the ends and forward sides of said dischargeaperture being hinged, respectively, to the ends and the remaining sides of said aperture, and all being connected with the moving parts of the envelop-machine to be operated thereby at suitable intervals. At the ends of the rear-folding leaf 64 and in close proximity to the inner faces of the conveyer-arms 5 6 and 7 8 there are located upright stationary cutter-blades 67, at such distance from the ends of the envelop that the ends of the thread will project a suitable distance therefrom, as hereinafter described, and swinging blades 68, pivoted at 69 to said stationary blades, are connected at their lower depending ends by a spiral spring 7 O to the table 1 of the machine, the said spring serving to normally hold said blades apart at their cutting edges. The pivot-pins 11, projecting from the inner faces of said arms, push against rounded upper ends of the swinging cutterblades 68 and operate said blades to cut the threads upon each end close up to the inner faces of the carrier-arms and allow of properly-measured threads and projecting ends thereof at the moment before the thread is released from the conveyer-arms to be deposited in the crease of the partially-folded envelop. After the thread has been thus out and deposited the projecting pins of the conveyer-arms, continuing their rotation, press against the forwardly-extended arm of a lever 71, (see Fig. 3,) pivoted to a bracket 72 ,se-

table 1 and, pressing against the rear side of the rear-folding leaf 64, presses the said leaf down at the moment after the thread has been placed inside the rear fold of the envelop, and a spring 7 3, connected to the short arm of the finger 72, restores the leaf 64: to its normal position. The remaining folding-leaves, trap-door 4:, and follower 74 are operated in any well known or preferred manner. It will be readily observed that the rear-folding leaf is inclined rearwardly at a suitable angle to allow the thread held between the conveyer-arms to sweep over it in the arc of a circle in close proximity thereto, the flap forming nearly a complete cord to said arc, thus permitting the creasing-frame 75, through which the follower 74 passes, to be held in close proximity to the table 1 by means of the short pillars 7 6 77, supported upon said table, the rear pillars 77 being separated sufficiently to allow the conveyor-arms to pass unobstructedly between them.

The gripping-jaws (shown in detail in Fig. 9) are secured to each end of each of the conveyer-arms 5 6 7 8, and each have double parallel plates providing fixed jaws 9 solid upon the ends of said arms and each having recesses to receive a movable jaw 10, hinged thereto by pivot-pin 11, one end of which projects from the inner side of the arm, as hereinbefore described. A spring 10 secured to the fixed jaw 9, bears against the movable jaw 10 and holds the said jaws firmly together. An intermediate space 78 is thus provided in each of the double clamping-jaws, through which may pass a finger 80, extend ing from a stationary chute or box and secured by an arm 81 with a plate 82, fixedly secured to the table 1 of the machine, the finger 80 serving to pull the thread-scraps from between the jaws and allow them to fall into the stationary chute or box out of the way.

The double-plate or recessed jaws hold the thread at its ends more securely and enable the thread to be more tightly stretched and held between the arms, by means of which the thread may be accurately placed in the crease of the envelop.

A rsum of the operation of the envelopthreading attachment is as follows: A blank being placed in proper position upon the creasing-frame in any well-known or preferred manner, the follower is pressed down, carrying with it the blank and leaving the same properly creased upon four sides upon the trap-door. The follower is then raised and two of the conveyer-arms carrying a thread properly gummed deposit it in the crease of the rear flap of the envelop, the end flaps being quickly folded over as soon as the follower has been withdrawn sufficiently to allow them to pass. The thread is cut off at the ends as soon as it touches the crease of the rear flap, and the conveyer-arms continuing their rotation the projecting pins of the conveyerjaws press upon the short levers to push back the finger which operates the rear-flap folder.

The short front strip having been folded over at the same time with the rear flap the latter is then pulled back to its open position and the trap-door is opened to permit the finished envelop to fall into the conveyer beneath the table 1 and carried from the machine. The conveyers continuing their rotation, the pins projecting from the outer sides of their jaws engage with the circular cam-track "and open the jaws to receive the next thread, the scrap thread ends being pulled out from between the jaws and dropped into the chutereceptacle. Just before the conveyer-arms reach the cam track the thread carrier reaches the end of its movement toward the thread-holder. The clamping jaws are pressed open by the inclined plates and grasp the end of the thread projecting from the thread-holder. The thread-carrier immediately begins its return movement. As the conveyer-arms pass over the cam-track the inclined plates of the end block are pushed apart, and the carrier, moving across the plane of the envelop in rear thereof, first passes the gummer-spoon, which is raised by its cam to gum the thread at nearly its entire length, except at sufficient distance from the ends. The thread-carrier, moving the full length of its throw, deposits the thread between the conveyer-jaws, the latter being then immediately closed thereon, and the thread-carrier commencing a further move ment toward the thread-holder, the gummer-spoon is dropped out of the way of the movement of the thread-carrier, the threadholder shears are at once operated, and the severed and measured length of thread held by the conveyer-arms is carried forward in the arc of a circle and deposited in front of the rear flap of the next envelop to be folded, as hereinbefore described.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An envelop-threading machine provided with a thread-carrier for drawing the thread across the plane of the envelop, two oppositely-disposed double-armed rotary conveyers having jaws to grasp the thread in measured lengths and deposit each thread alternately in the crease of partially-folded envelops, substantially as described.

2. An envelop-threading machine provided with a reciprocating thread-carrier and conveyer-arms for receiving thread therefrom, each having a double-plate, parallel fixed jaw and a double-plate pivoted jaw to engage therewith and seize the thread with double bearing-surfaces at each end to carry it securely to the envelop without slipping, substantially as described.

3. An envelop-threading machine provided with a reciprocating thread-carrier, and conveyer-arms for receiving the thread therefrom, each having double-plate jaws for grip ping the thread and a fixed finger upon the frame held between said plates during their movement to withdraw the scrap threads therefrom, substantially as described.

4. An envelop-threading machine having a thread-carrier and conveyers for delivering the thread to a partially folded envelop,- shears for cutting the ends of said threads in measured lengths, pickers for disengaging the scraps from the gripping ends of the threadconveyers, and a chute forv conducting the thread from the machine, substantially as described.

5. An envelop-threading machine having a thread-carrier for drawing the thread across the plane of the envelop, revolving threadconveyers having a pivoted jaw or jaws to grasp the thread in measured lengths and deposit it in the crease of a partially-folded envelop, and a curved-track plate in the plane of movement of and adapted to press against a projection of said jaw and hold the same open while moving to receive the thread from the carrier at the proper moment, substantially as described.

6. An envelop-threading machine having a thread-carrier and revolving conveyer-arms for drawing the thread across the plane of the envelop and delivering it to a partiallyfolded envelop, and thread-cutting shears supported upon a fixed pivot near the threadholder and operated by a spring-actuated swinging arm, and a cam upon a revolving shaft of the machine carrying the revolving thread-conveyers, substantially as described.

7. In an envelop-threadin g machine, the combination with a thread-carrier for drawing the thread across the plane of the ma chine of thread-conveyer arms for receiving the thread and delivering it to the partiallyfolded envelop, and a vibratory gummingarm adapted to dip into a gum-receptacle and --lift the gum to the thread at properly-regm lated intervals, substantially as described.

8. An envelop-threading machine having a reciprocating thread-carrier, conveyer-arms for delivering the thread to a partially-folded envelop, and cutters fixed to the table at the ends of the rear-folding envelop-flap, one of said cutters being pivoted and acted upon by a projection from the conveyer-arm to operate the same and cut the ends from the said thread at the proper moment, substantially as described.

9. An envelop-threadin g machine, comprising conveyer-arms adapted to move in a circular path and deliver a thread to a partiallyfolded envelop, a guide-bar, a reciprocating thread-carrier supported and movable thereon, gripping-jaws, each pivoted to the threadcarrier and having inclined plates thereon, and arms pivoted to a fixed part of the machine adjacent to the end of the guide-bar and having inclined plates thereon similar to the plates upon the gripping-jaws to lift the same, substantially as described for the purpose specified.

10. An envelop-threading machine having a reciprocating thread-carrier, conveyer-arms for delivering the thread to a partially-foldedenvelop, and a rear-flap folder operated by said conveyer arms, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MAX GRUBE. Witnesses:

J OSEPH SCHULTZ, LEE D. CRAIG. 

